Embers In The Snow
by BellatrixLestrangey
Summary: Christmas Fic: Zuko decides to bring Azula home for the holidays.


It had been a long time since they'd done anything as a family for the holidays. Zuko glanced over at an old family Christmas photo. It would be just he and his mom this year.

Katara, Aang and Sokka all had plans to go back to the water tribes and enjoy some good old fashioned snow. Who could blame them, what was Christmas without snow?

A Fire Nation Christmas, he answered himself.

He couldn't complain, couldn't miss something that never was.

Toph...being the whimsical girl she was decided she was going to take her student metal benders out for some 'mandatory musical metalbending'...rather some caroling all across the Earth Kingdoms—from Ba Sing Se to Omashu.

He couldn't blame her for that either. She liked fun and adventure. He was happy for her, happy that she was well on her way to making the holidays more fun than ever before.

Zuko looked around the palace, he didn't know where to start with the decorating. He would have asked Ursa, but the woman was out Chrismas shopping—that would probably take a night or two between the crowds and the travel-time. He tried to get in contact with Mai but the girl was spending time with her parents and baby brother.

Zuko also couldn't get mad at that; she was lucky to have a family like that-one that wasn't broken.

One that wanted to spend the holidays together.

He placed his Chrismas lanterns on the floor. He was feeling lonely and he had his mother. He could only imagine how Azula was feeling.

The girl sat by herself in the institution cafeteria, listening to the chatter of the other patients. It depressed her really. If she had a choice she'd eat alone in her room. But the staff insisted on wheeling her down here.

They didn't even have the respect to remove the straitjacket and let her feed herself. Not even after she pulled the 'but it's almost Christmas' card.

That usually worked on Ozai.

Azula's Christmas wish list shrunk terribly; it went from I want out of this institution, my old room back, my servants, my throne, and a nice new mirror to I just want out of this institution. And then later on it shrunk to can I at least get one visitor, and even further to can I get even a letter? Her Christmas list now had but one request; at least let me out of the straitjacket for an hour…I'll take 10 minutes…even 5. Just let me have this one thing.

Of course this list was printed only in her head…pencils were too sharp and dangerous to give the patients.

And so there she sat.

Alone.

Again.

Just listening.

Tae-Yule boasted about her visit with her uncle, he said he'd take her home for the holidays…and just in case he couldn't make it, wished her a merry Christmas.

Rolin returned the bragging with a 'my mother has been sending me a little present each day of the month.

And Song-Chin kept reading and waving her charming little Christmas cards around.

With the exception of Tim-Chi, Azula was the only one who had no cute little Christmas gift or visit. Nothing to yell and cheer about.

She couldn't cover her ears and block it out. So she just listened to everyone talk about the sweet letters from home or how they'd be checked out for the up-coming week.

She bit the inside of her lip, tears welling behind her eyes.

She wouldn't cry.

She didn't care.

She didn't need any visitors.

She watched Kath's parents pull her into a hug. The staff giving them a brief run-down before they led her out of the institution. Led her _home_.

She was so lonely.

So unloved.

Azula slumped over, pressing her forehead to the table. She wouldn't call what she did crying, weeping maybe. Anyone could see that her shoulders shook softly, could hear the soft gasps. _She_ could feel a tear or two slid down her cheek to her nose, and from there drip to the table.

But that was it. Just those two tears. And a few more soft gasps.

She sat in silence, a sense of numbness overtaking her mind.

Zuko tried hanging the festive paper lanterns on the railings outside the palace, and on the pillars. But each time they would seem to fall from their places. He wished he was an airbender so that he could hang the lights from the many tiers of the palace roof with ease.

Of course that wouldn't be happening.

God, that palace was massive how was he supposed to hang up all these lanterns alone? Much less decorate the interior and arrange the golden dragons ornaments on the tree as well.

Maybe he should start with the tree?

Maybe he shouldn't have sent the servants home until after the decorating got done. But his soft side got the best of him; they had their own houses to decorate and their own families to do it with.

Zuko huffed and set the lanterns down. If he had some company this would be so much easier. And it would be, because he would have someone to decorate with.

It was daylight by the time they got back to the palace.

Azula didn't really talk to him much. When she did it was usually small talk about how the Fire Nation was doing politically or how it was colder outside than she remembered.

This left Zuko with plenty of time to contemplate.

His mind kept replaying the events from the night prior; he vividly remembered the moment they took the jacket off. How could he ever forget it?

She sitting up on her bed staring at the floor, hair obscuring her eye—it was combed and better kept than the night he dropped her off in the institution. Most of it tucked behind her ear or tossed over her shoulder, except for those few strands that fell over her eye.

She looked tired. Worn out.

Fragile.

She tilted her head up only slightly. Just enough to take him in.

The nurse hesitated when he instructed her to remove the straitjacket. But she did.

It fell to the floor. At first Azula didn't respond. It was as if she needed a moment to make sure it was actually happening. After that moment passed she gave the faintest smile, a hopeful gleam lighting her eyes.

She stood up. He held his arms out for a hug.

She slapped him, muttering about how he had left her there.

Perhaps that hopeful gleam was a psychotic gleam…

His own smile faded and he let his arms fall back to his sides. Of course she was still mad.

And she came at him again. Her arms wrapped around his waist, the force at which she threw herself at him, nearly knocking them both to the ground. She buried her face in his chest, her hold tightened. "You're an ass and I hate you." Her voice came out muffled.

The nurse moved in to pull her away, Zuko held up a hand, signaling her to back down.

"Well, this ass is going to take you home!" Zuko declared.

Azula sniffled. "Even when I'm a sobbing mess you still find a way to make yourself a bigger embarrassment than me." She pulled out of Zuko's arms and gave a rather aggressive swipe to her eyes.

"You're welcome." Zuko smiled.

She ran a hand through her dark hair, brushing the loose strands back behind her ear. That's when the silence began. She broke it the first time to ask if Tim-Chi could come with them too. He didn't have the heart to say no, not after she told him that the guy was as lonely as she was.

"Why?" her voice cut through the memory, spoken at a volume just above a whisper.

"Why what?" Zuko asked.

"Why did you wait so long to take me home…to visit me?" She paused. "When are you making me go back?"

"I don't know. I guess…I guess I just didn't know what I would have said to you if I did stop by for a visit. I guess the holidays gave me a reason to do so, something to talk about. Mom was out shopping, the others went away. I was feeling lonely. I assumed you were getting lonely. And then I saw this old family portrait…"

"So you bought me home so you wouldn't feel lonely?" Azula cut him off.

"No. No, that's not it at all. I was thinking of Mai and Tom-Tom, how they were all celebrating together." They stepped off the boat, the palace wasn't too far off now. "As a family."

When Azula didn't speak up he continued. "And then I realized that I wanted to do that too. I wanted to have a family again. Me, you, and mother…"

"What about dad?"

Zuko racked his brain for an answer. Truth be told, he didn't really consider Ozai to be family at this point. Even if he did, he couldn't just waltz into the prison and demand Ozai's release as he did with Azula.

Azula was a patient, they were allowed to leave with proper documentation (the documentation his status allowed him to bypass), Ozai was a prisoner. And for a criminal of his stature, would they even accept a bail?

"We have Tim-Chi instead?"

Azula sighed. "We're taking Tim-Chi to his family dum-dum."

"Wait, what?!" Zuko asked.

"The only reason he never got visits is because his parents couldn't _afford_ the boat tickets."

"Couldn't even afford to send me a letter this year." Tim-Chi finally spoke. The boy had been more silent than Azula, hadn't even said a word until then.

"Why did you do it?" Zuko changed the subject. "Decide to help Tim, I mean."

Azula shrugged. "No reason." She had no desire to vocalize that she actually _wanted_ to help someone. He didn't really talk to her much in the asylum, but he was the only person who didn't snicker behind her back and claim that she was 'worse than all of us'. Nor did she intend to tell Zuko just how much his lack of company hurt her—just how much she sympathized with the peasant.

"Where does Tim-Chi live?" Zuko asked.

"Why don't you ask him?"

"Just a little ways down the road." He answered. "I can probably walk the rest of the way on my own."

"But you don't have to." Azula pointed out.

"You sure?"

Azula nodded. "You coming Zu-Zu?"

"You go ahead, I'll wait here."

"You know the direction, lead the way." Azula motioned him forward. "Just don't get used to it."

"Of course not princess." He replied.

She followed him wordlessly through a series of turns and one alley, taking special care to remember the way back. She wasn't particularly thrilled to take the alley again, frankly she wasn't in the mood to get mugged. Though she could use the firebending practice.

The duo soon stood before a very tiny, beaten home. She was going to need 3 messenger hawks to deliver all the golden pieces in her Christmas card.

He gave the door three knocks. "Thanks princess, I owe you one." He smiled.

"You owe me many." She kissed his ear.

The boy blushed. "That is fine by me."

She headed back for Zuko, turning her head back once more just in time to see Tim-Chi's mother cry out in joy before pulling him into a little family group hug.

When Azula got back to the spot she'd left Zuko in, the firebender was gone. "Are you kidding me…ZU-ZU!" She hollered. Christmas in three days or no Christmas, she was going to singe his eyebrows off for this one.

Or maybe she hadn't memorized the way back correctly. Impossible she was great with directions.

Fine, she'd just walk home herself.

And with much fury, that's just what the fire princess did, leaving a terrified trail of Fire Nation citizens in her wake.

Zuko entered the palace two hours later. "You better appreciate this Azula, the walk home was rather unpleasant."

"You're telling me. Because of you, I—" Azula let the sentence fall short. "Father?"

The man was busy combing his fingers through his straggly beard when Azula caught his attention. He looked up. "Good to see you again." He forced a smile.

It was a start.

"Before I went and got you guys, I was trying to decorate." Zuko stated. "I was hoping you would help."

Azula picked up a strand of paper lanterns. "How do you do this?" She asked.

"You can firebend like a pro, kill the avatar, take over Ba Sing Se, but you don't know how to hang up Christmas lanterns?" Zuko asked.

"Based on how many aren't yet hung, I would say you're just as helpless. More so actually." Azula tossed her hair over her shoulder.

There was the Azula he knew. Only took a few hours.

"At least I can tie my own hair up." Zuko retorted.

"At least I can actually _get_ the servants to do it for me." Azula snorted.

Ozai snickered in the background.

"What can you do by yourself?" Azula laughed.

"Single handedly ruin my son's life." He shrugged.

"Single handedly?" Zuko asked. "Azula did most of the work."

His sister gave an exaggerated bow.

"It's great to have you back Azula."

"I know." Azula replied before toying with the lanterns again. "Got one strand up. Looks like hanging up Christmas lanterns is one more thing I'm better at then you." She added matter-of-factly.

"I don't think so!" Zuko challenged. It took him a good few minutes to untangle the strands—by which time Azula had another set of them hung—but he'd eventually got one set of those blasted lanterns hung.

With Azula's competitive nature, they'd get this done in no time…if the girl could figure out how to reach the top tier of the roof.

"You gonna join us?" Zuko asked his father again.

"Hanging Christmas lanterns is a peasant's work." The former firelord declared. "I think I will just watch you two continue to act like uncultured hog-monkeys."

"Oh he's going to help us Zu-Zu. He's the one who's going to hang them on the highest tower."

"How are we going to get him to do that?" Zuko asked.

"While you go help mother with her…whatever it is she bought, I'll get father to help us."

Zuko met up with his mother in the middle of the large flight of stairs that lead to their palace.

"You did wonderful with the lanterns dear. The railings look amazing. Though the roof looks a little bare." Ursa observed.

Zuko glanced at Ozai, the man was making his way to the roof with a strand of lanterns. "Dad's taking care of it."

"Your father's home?"

"Azula too." Zuko pointed.

"She still want me dead?"

"I don't think so. She didn't get all tense when I mentioned you." Zuko answered. "Here let me take some of those." He hoisted one of Ursa's shopping bags over his shoulder.

"I bought you the cutest sweater! Oh, if I would have known Azula was coming home…wait a minute! I can just give her the one I bought for myself. I was planning on lighting a fire in the fireplace, wearing our sweaters and having Iroh make us up a couple of hot teas…"

"Mother, we live in the Fire Nation."

"Zu-Zu, it's freezing out here. You just can't feel it through all those robes. _I_ on the other hand don't know why they only gave us t-shirts in that institution." She wrapped her arms around herself.

"You weren't complaining before." Zuko pointed out.

"We still had the sun to keep us warm, before dum-dum."

Now that she mentioned it, she and Ursa both did look rather cold. Ursa's cheeks were a fairly bright red. A color mirroring Azula's nose and fingers.

"It can't be _that_ cold."

"And you can't be _that_ unobservant." Azula pointed at a small patch of snow on the roof. Oh yes it was really small…just big enough to make one single snowball. But it was there nonetheless.

"Anyways I told father that he had to help his favorite daughter hang the lanterns…I mean it is Christmas after all."

"Christmas eve." Zuko corrected.

"Same difference." Azula replied.

Before she could turn away, Ursa pulled her into a hug. She protested at first. Her mother's arms were warm and inviting.

Forgiving.

Loving.

"It's lovely to have you and your father home for the holidays. It'll be like before, when you guys were kids and we would go to Ember Island and build sandmen. Only we're not on Ember Island."

"So I've noticed." Azula laughed.

Zuko couldn't help it, he did too. This was the first time Azula really laughed without doing something vicious beforehand. And probably the first time at all since she was taken to the institution. Ursa let Azula go and joined them.

"This isn't funny!" Ozai shouted from the roof. He'd managed to get his beard caught on one of the lanterns.

"He's more helpless than the both of us when it comes to doing housework." Zuko muttered to his sister. He turned to Ozai. "We weren't laughing at you."

"Sure we were." Azula shouted.

No sooner did that small pile of snow on the roof meet Azula's face.

"Thanks dad." She called.

"Anytime!"

Azula shivered and brushed the snow out of her hair and eyes. "I'm cold, let's get inside."

"Hi cold, I'm dad." Zuko just barely heard from atop the roof.

"Whenever you finish those lanterns you can come help us with the tree dear." Ursa called.

She clapped her hands together. "I almost forgot!" She tossed a sweater to both Zuko and Azula. "Your dad and I will wear the ones from…about ten years ago."

Zuko tugged the sweater over his head.

As soon as he did Azula was practically on the floor laughing. "You look ridiculous. Oh God it hurts!" She clutched her sides.

"Good thing our sweaters are identical." Zuko pointed to hers.

"I am not…" She started.

"But it's Christmas eve." Her mom pouted.

"Looks like you and mother have more in common then you thought." Zuko pointed out.

Azula thumped the back of his head before tugging her sweater on.

"The tea is almost done." Iroh poked his head into the room. "And here _I_ thought _I_ looked silly with this Santa hat on." He snickered before returning to his bubbling mint tea.

"Good thing father didn't have time to hire someone to paint our Christmas portrait." Azula remarked.

"Yeah, well, mother did."

Ozai slammed the door. "The one day it snows in the Fire Nation is the day I'm doing a servant's work." He scoffed.

"Well it's a good thing Iroh's almost done with the tea isn't it?" Ursa took a seat.

It was rather late that night when the family went to sleep. The princess hadn't slept in her own bed for who knows how long now. Not since she'd ran out into the Forgetful Valley. Not since they found her and dragged her back to that institution.

She missed it. Her bed. Maybe now she'd get some sleep.

Zuko was pretty eager to wake his sister up, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't longing to get his presents. He, however, refrained. This was probably the best sleep Azula had gotten in a long while, so he'd let her continue.

But man did she sleep a long time. It was a little past noon when she made her way down the hall. Her hair was tied back, face void of makeup, and she still had this sleepy look in her eyes. He didn't know how she couldn't be in a hurry to get some new material objects…

And then it rendered; they didn't get her anything. His mom didn't know she was coming home, his dad in jail, he on the other hand had no excuse.

"I'm sorry I didn't get you anything." He frowned.

"Hmm?"

"Sorry I didn't get you anything for Christmas."

"You _got_ me out of that place. And you _got_ father back for me." Azula shrugged. "I suppose I can't complain, though a new mirror would have been nice."

"I still feel bad." He replied.

"You worry too much." Azula laughed. She went back into her room and returned with a piece of parchment folded neatly in her grasp. She slipped it into Zuko's hand.

"What's this?" Zuko asked.

"My wish list." Azula answered "I already got everything I asked for."

He unfolded the slip of paper. Scrawled in neat, dark cursive was a bulleted list:

- My old room back

- My servants

- My throne

- A nice new mirror

These were crossed off.

Beneath it the girl listed: I want out of this place, I want a visitor, I want a letter.

Those were also crossed off, her list reduced to one thing; I want out of this straitjacket

"They had to watch me write it, apparently the pencil was dangerous." Azula rolled her eyes.

Zuko didn't speak.

"You know I got everything on the list except the mirror. You got me everything else."

"Was that a thank you?" Zuko smirked.

Azula punched his shoulder. "Go open your presents Zu-Zu."

**So I've seen so much fanart with a happy team avatar (plus Mai, Ty-Lee and Iroh), and even a few with Azula. But Ozai is pretty much excluded from all of them. So I thought I'd at least write a fic where the guy gets a second chance for the holidays. Also, there had to be at least one dad joke in here.**


End file.
